The best digital-media desktops

Looking for a computer that serves as a home entertainment device? We'd recommend any of these.

San Francisco Chronicle, Cnet

Published
4:00 am PDT, Monday, March 10, 2008

Dell XPS One

Dell XPS One

Image
1of/5

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 5

Dell XPS One

Dell XPS One

The best digital-media desktops

1 / 5

Back to Gallery

Dell XPS One

Cnet rating: 7.9 out of 10 (very good)

The good: Best HD-equipped all-in-one; 802.11n and Bluetooth for plenty of wireless flexibility; convenient walk-up controls.

The bad: HD format; not as fast as an iMac, not as home-theater-capable as HP Slimline; pricey; no video out.

The price: $2,200

The bottom line: It's outclassed as a computer by Apple's iMac and as a home entertainment system by HP, but in the weird niche of high-end, digital-media-friendly all-in-ones, the Dell XPS One gets our nod. If you're not shopping in that narrow market, move on.

HP Pavilion Slimline s3200t

Cnet rating: 8.7 out of 10 (excellent)

The good: Hybrid HD DVD/Blu-ray drive provides both technologies for a better price than a dedicated drive; small case offers flexibility; strong basic bang for the buck.

The bad: HDMI can still present compatibility issues, and more so with the Slimline's Nvidia graphics card; no 802.11n wireless networking.

The price: $1,540 (reviewed model)

The bottom line: Offers perhaps the strongest bang for the buck we've seen. It outclasses every other HD-equipped system we've seen so far. If you're shopping for a living room PC and want complete HD format flexibility, this is the system we'd buy.